


Esposo y Padrastro

by cortexikid



Category: One Day at a Time (TV 2017)
Genre: Alex says some not-so-nice things, Elena is away at her ivy league college, F/M, Future Fic, Schneider and Alex have an overdue talk about Schneider's intentions, Schneider tells him how it is, Underage Drinking, after Pen and Schneider pick him up from a party, established alvareider, that she of course got a full scholarship to, tipsy!alex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-12-18 05:13:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18243074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cortexikid/pseuds/cortexikid
Summary: “Is this…?”“An engagement ring? Yeah. I—” Schneider’s voice cracked, “I was gonna take you, Elena and your abuelita out to dinner when Elena gets home next month to…to get your guys’ blessing to…ask your mom to marry me.”Alex wouldn’t look at him, then, too transfixed on the box, that he was clenching so tightly, his fingers were turning a ghostly white.Schneider took a small, but firm, step toward him.“Your mom…she’s the love of my life, Alex. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love her."





	Esposo y Padrastro

**Author's Note:**

> So this came out of nowhere? I was actually in the middle of writing the next part of my post-season 3 Alvareider series "Schneider's Choice" and this popped into my head. It's a future-fic, established relationship between Pen and Schneider, so could easily tie into the events of "Schneider's Choice" just a little later in the time-line. No worries to anyone who hasn't read that though, this can be read alone. Enjoy :)

 

The door slammed up hard against the wall as Alex roughly shouldered it open, storming into the apartment like a whirlwind.

 

“Hey, knock it off,” Schneider reprimanded, entering a lot less violently, closing the door gently behind them and turning to look at the teenager, who was now beginning to pace back and forth in front of the couch like a caged animal.

 

“I can’t believe you and Mom just… _showed up_ like that. I mean, who the hell does that?! I told you I was fine—”

 

“You’re not fine, Alex. You’re drunk.”

 

The teen whirled around, losing his footing a little before growling, “Yeah well, _you_ would know.”

 

Ouch. That stung. Schneider couldn’t let him know it did, though.

 

“We came to get you because it wasn’t safe for you and your friends to get into a car,” he forced down the hurt by explaining for what felt like the hundredth time. “Your D.D. was wasted, Alex. Not fit to drive. He would have wrapped you all around a tree.”

 

Alex let out a scoff, waving a hand dismissively.

 

“Jason didn’t even drink that much. Like two beers top—”

 

“One beer is too much,” Schneider cut across him, his tone leaving no room for argument, “Now, I think you should go get ready for bed. Your mom will wanna talk when she gets back so be prepared for that. I’ll go get you some water—”

 

“Oh my god, stop telling me what to do already, geez, you’re worse than Elena,” Alex groaned, a hand rising to his temple in annoyance.

 

Schneider sighed, stepping closer to him to rest a hand on his shoulder, “Alex, come on, man. Work with me here. I’m just tryin’ to take care of y—"

 

“ _You're not my dad_!”

 

Schneider reeled back as if Alex had punched him.

 

In a way, he had. Plunged his fist right into Schneider’s chest, right into his gut, winding him.

 

But the teen wasn’t done. An angry glint to his eye as he took a defiant step forward, chin tilted high as he spat, “Just because you’re bangin’ my mom—”

 

“Don’t you dare.”

 

Alex stumbled a little, but Schneider couldn’t tell if it was from the alcohol or at the raw fury in Schneider’s voice.

 

“Don’t you _dare_ talk about your mom like that.”

 

Schneider didn’t recognise his own tone, it low, deep in a way he couldn’t ever remember sounding.

 

But Alex still wasn’t done.

 

He laughed, a cold, harsh noise falling from his lips.

 

“It’s not mom I’m talking about, Schneider. It’s _you_. Just because you’ve convinced her to finally give you a chance, after years of hanging around here like a bad stink, _does not_ make you my dad. And it sure as hell doesn’t give you any right to lecture me about drinking. What it does do, though, is make you a hypocrite.”

 

In that fist, held a knife, burying in Schneider’s chest and slowly twisting.

 

“Alex—”

 

“I seen you, remember? In a hell of a worse state than I’ve ever been in,” he scoffed, waving a hand at him, “And you stand there and act like you’re all perfec—”

 

“I’m not perfect,” Schneider cut across him, tone razor-sharp, “I know you of all people, know that. But you know what I am, Alex? I’m an adult. In my forties. Not a seventeen-year-old, way under the legal age to drink in this country. Last time I checked? _You_ are.”

 

Alex’s jaw clenched, eyes steely as he folded his arms, clearly changing tact.

 

“I know she’s just another conquest to you. My mom,” he growled, hand thrown up in anger again, "Maybe even the ultimate one because you tip-toed around it for so long."

 

Schneider gaped at him, not believing what he was hearing.

 

“What? C’mon, Alex. You don’t actually believe that.”

 

But it was almost like the kid couldn’t hear him anymore as he nodded frantically, beginning to pace, “No dude, I do. I remember what you were like, how many women you’d been with. The only real relationship you ever had before my mom was Avery, and we all know how that turned out.” He paused for breath, not looking at Schneider anymore as he gritted between clenched teeth, “You may have fooled Mami, and abuelita, and Elena, and maybe even _yourself_ into thinking different, but I know—”

 

Schneider was on his feet, effectively cutting him off as he stormed over to his toolkit that still lay on the living-room floor from where he had dropped it that morning, plunging his hand into one of the small compartments and flinging the retrieved object at Alex, who fumbled, but managed to catch it at the last second.

 

Seemed like even alcohol didn’t dull the kid’s baseball skills.

 

“Does that look like something I’d give ‘just another conquest?’” he spat, jaw clenching as he watched the teen cradle the little black box in his hand, wide eyes gaping from it, to Schneider, and back again.

 

“Is this…?”

 

“An engagement ring. Yeah. I—” Schneider’s voice cracked, eyes stinging.

 

Clearing his throat and blinking furiously, he forced himself to continue, “I was gonna take you, Elena and your abuelita out to dinner when Elena gets home next month to…to get your guys’ blessing to…ask your mom to marry me.”

 

Alex wouldn’t look at him, then, too transfixed on the box, that he was clenching so tightly, his fingers were turning a ghostly white. They trembled slightly as they ran over the gleaming faux-leather (Elena would never forgive Schneider if it was the real deal), his shoulders drooping.

 

Gently, he opened the box. It was if all the anger drained from him in that moment. He a deflating balloon, slowly seeping out air from a tiny pin-prick.

 

Schneider took a small, but firm, step toward him, praying for his voice to stay steady as he said the words that he had known in his heart for what felt like forever.

 

“Your mom, she…she’s the love of my life, Alex. I’ve—I’ve never loved anyone the way I love her. She’s…my best friend. The smartest, funniest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. And I adore her. Deep down, I always knew that. Even—even when we were with other people, in serious relationships…I knew that she was it for me. It just took me a long time to see it. Admit it to myself.”

 

He took another step, larger this time, so that he was right next to the younger man. And that was what he was now. A young man. A young man that Schneider desperately wanted to keep in his life, to have him want to be in Schneider’s life, to share their lives as a family. So, he spoke the truth, even though it terrified him to his very soul.

 

“And whether you like it or not; blood or not,” he paused, taking a shaky breath, “We’re family. You and Elena…you’re it for me too. I worry about you, I’m proud of you, I love you both _so much_ it scares me sometimes. I’ve…I’ve seen you as mine for a long time now. Even…even if that feeling isn’t reciprocated.”  

 

Slowly, brown eyes, identical to the woman he loves’, met his.

 

Alex’s face crumpled, large tear drops falling down his cheeks as he bolted forward, wrapping Schneider in a fierce, tight hug.

 

“I’m sorry…I’m so sorry, Schneider, I didn’t mean any—”

 

“Hey, hey it’s okay. It’s alright, I got ya, bud.”

 

The held each other tight for several long moments, the younger man sniffling a little, dampening the collar of Schneider’s shirt as the elder gave reassuring pats to his back, finally allowing his own tears to fall down his cheeks.

 

“We love you too, Schneider. Me and Elena…we couldn’t ask for a better step-dad.”

 

The words were quiet, murmured into the fabric of Schneider’s shirt, but to him, they may as well have been shouted from the rooftops.

 

“Step-dad?” His voice broke mid-syllable as the two stepped back to look at one another.

 

The teen nodded, his eyes glassy now for an entirely different reason.

 

“Yeah, dude. Isn’t…isn’t that what we should call you when you marry our mom?”  

 

Schneider could feel the smile breaking out onto his face.

 

“Yeah, I—I’d like that. I just...with Victor, I don't want—"

 

Alex waved his words off, "Papi is _Papi_ , Schneider. You can be... _Dad_." 

 

 _Dad_. _Oh, my god. Okay, play it cool, Schneider._

 

He cleared his throat, swallowing around what felt like the Sahara desert, "That would be great. If it’s okay with you and Elena.”

 

Alex rolled his eyes, “Oh please, Elena has been accidentally calling you ‘dad’ for like two years now. This is just making it official.”

 

They shared a laugh, before quietening, Alex’s face growing a little more pensive.

 

“You and my mom…do you think you’ll…have more kids?”

 

The fact that he added in that little ‘more’ in there, meant the world to Schneider, so, naturally, he immediately countered the sincerity with humour.

 

“Whoa, dude, easy. She hasn’t even said ‘yes’ to _marrying_ me.”

 

“She will.”

 

Schneider’s heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest, a thrill thrumming through his entire body as someone who knew Penelope so well pretty much confirmed she would become his wife. But he could freak out later, right now, he had to focus. He knew that it wasn't this simple, that they would have more to talk about it, his shifting role in their lives with more hurdles to clear, plates to spin and arguments to have, but that was all to come. They'd work through it like they always did. As a family.

 

Gently, he laid a hand on Alex’s shoulder, aware that the kid was still a little raw from the announcement of Nicole’s pregnancy, even six months on.

 

“I can’t speak for your mom, bud. In the past, she’s said that she doesn’t want any more kids. But we haven’t had that discussion as a couple, yet. All I can say for sure is, for me, I stand by what I said. You and Elena? You’re it. You’re enough. You _are_ my kids.”

 

A singular tear rolled down Alex’s cheek as he nodded, taking in that response.

 

“Then as your kid, I wanna say…” he began, clearing his throat, rubbing a hand down his face, “I’m sorry that I drank. It was dumb and irresponsible. I’m sorry I worried you and you had to come get me and I ruined your night. I know you and mom haven’t gotten to spend a whole lotta time together lately with her work and…and it was selfish of me to use that against you. And I’m sorry for everything I just said, I didn’t believe or mean any of it. I was mad and taking it out on you. That was wrong.”

 

Schneider stared at the boy he had watched grow into the smart, funny, confident man that stood almost the same height as him, letting his apology sink in with a small nod.

 

“Apology accepted…we’ll talk more tomorrow over your, what I’m imagining will be, _killer_ hangover,” he paused, squeezing his shoulder, “You do know your mom is gonna wanna hear a whole repeat as soon as she gets back, right? And I mean, some _serious grovelling_ , Alex. Be prepared to be grounded till graduation.”

 

The teen nodded, looking resigned.

 

Before either could speak another word, the apartment door opened with a flourish, Penelope Alvarez, looking flushed and pissed as hell, standing in the doorway, her eyes falling on them with a steely gleam.

 

Panicking, Schneider realised that Alex still held the engagement ring in his hand, his gaze shooting to it only to find it suddenly gone and Alex tilting his head in a silent, “I got you, bro.”

 

“Alejandro Alberto Alvarez Riera Calderon Leyte-Vidal Inclán,” she hissed, her tone low and dangerous, “this will be first and last time you ever, _ever_ put me in a position where I have to drive home your drunk-ass bobo friends. You hear me!?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

She took a step forward, arms folded, tilting her head at her son.

 

“I take it you already apologised to Schneider?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

“Then go to your room.  Now. I’ll be there in a minute.”

 

Alex nodded, sharing one last weighted look with Schneider, before turning on his heel and high-tailing it outta there. Schneider couldn’t really find it in himself to blame him. An angry, disappointed Penelope was…not fun.

 

He should know.

 

“You okay?” he asked as he watched his girlfriend heave a sigh, lock the door behind her and shuffle over to him.

 

She looked defeated, now that Alex was out of sight. Her shoulders were slumped, her head hanging low as she closed the gap between them, resting her forehead against his lower chest. Instinctively, Schneider’s arms came up to wrap around her, squeezing her tight, like so many other times in the last few years. He never grew tired of hugging Penelope Alvarez.

 

“Those stupid punks wouldn’t stop singing that lame Justin Bieber song,” she mumbled into his shirt, sounding disgusted.

 

“You’ll have to be more specific,” he joked, wrapping one arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and running his fingers through her hair, gently coaxing her to look up at him.

 

She complied, tilting her head back to catch his eye, a little wrinkle in between her eyebrows as she groaned.

 

“I don’t know which one, Schneider, they all sound the same. All I know is that I never want to hear it being murdered in the back seat by three drunk white boys ever again,” she finished with a wince, shuddering as she re-lived the recent memory.

 

Schneider smiled softly, leaning down and kissing her forehead.

 

“Sorry, Pen. I know this isn’t how we planned to spend our date-night,” he murmured against her skin as she heaved another sigh.

 

“No,” she agreed in a half-whisper, “It’s not. But that’s what happens when you’re raising teenagers.”

 

He tilted back to look at her, finding her eyes had fallen shut, her hands tightening where she had the fabric of his shirt clenched in her fists. He couldn’t stop himself from leaning forward and kissing her, then. Anything to get that displeased grimace off her beautiful face.

 

She kissed him back with fervour, rising on her tip-toes and wrapping her arms around his neck, forcing him further down to meet her as she brushed her tongue along his bottom lip. Schneider moaned softly as the kiss deepened, his hands sneaking towards her hips to clasp them tightly.

 

He never grew tired of kissing Penelope Alvarez either. One of the many, many reasons he planned on asking her to marry him one day. Soon.

 

His heart skipped a beat as he recalled what had transpired between him and Alex. How they had had what was probably a long-overdue conversation about what exactly his intentions were. And just what Alex thought about all that.

 

He thought his mom was gonna say yes.

 

He (and Elena) had every intention of calling Schneider their step-dad.

 

Now all he had to do was actually propose.

 

But not tonight.

 

He reached up to cup Penelope’s cheek gently, silently marvelling not for the first time how small her face felt against his hand as he stroked his thumb across her skin. She sighed into his mouth, a sound that never failed to set a blazing fire in Schneider’s heart and…other places.

 

But again, not tonight.

 

He broke the kiss, gasping a little, heart hammering in his chest.

 

That was the thing with everything he did with Penelope. It always held the excitement, the rush of their first time, no matter how many times they had done it.

 

And they done it a lot.

 

Schneider loved his life.

 

“Ugh, I really don’t wanna have to go discipline my kid right now,” she groaned in the tiny space between their lips.

 

“I really don’t wanna have to watch you go discipline your kid right now,” he panted, stealing another peck which she heartily returned.

 

“Hmm,” she mumbled into the kiss, running a hand through his hair before pulling away, again, not going far, playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck.

 

“How was he when you got back?”

 

Schneider weighed his options. He didn’t want to lie to her, but he couldn’t exactly tell her the full-truth either. He decided on telling her as much as he could now, then after he proposed, if she said yes, he’d tell her the rest.

 

If she said no?

 

Well. He couldn’t think about that.

 

“He…” Schneider began with a soft sigh, catching her gaze and holding it, entwining the fingers of her free hand with his, “He was pretty upset. Said some hurtful things. But he apologised.”

 

The crinkle between her eyebrow was back.

 

“What kind of things?”

 

Schneider winced, not really wanting to divulge what Alex had said in anger and assured him he didn’t really mean. But that little voice at the back of his head was buzzing, his niggling doubt rearing its ugly head, forcing the words out before he could think to stop them.

 

“He told me that I couldn’t tell him what to do…because I wasn’t his dad.”

 

Penelope’s frown deepened, biting her already reddened lip. Schneider was transfixed by it for a moment, by the crimson flush he had caused, before she began replying.

 

“I’m sorry, Schneider. But you know he loves you like a dad, right?”

 

He nodded, his smile small as he replayed their conversation in his head, “Yeah, I’ve an idea.”

 

Penelope returned his grin, “He and Elena adore you. I think Elena may have accidentally called you ‘dad’ on the phone last week.”

 

Schneider’s heart soared. He knew Alex told him as much, but to hear it from Penelope? Priceless.

 

“I love them too, Pen. And Lydia,” he paused, head tilted, for dramatic effect, ‘cause he was petty like that, “…and you, I guess.”

 

She laughed, shoving him, “Oh ‘you guess’ huh? Well, that’s gonna be pretty awkward for everyone when we’re old and wrinkly and you’re still stuck with me.”

 

Schneider stopped laughing, staring at her wide-eyed.

 

She frowned, “What?”

 

He closed the gap between them again, resting his forehead against hers, his throat tight.

 

“You think we’re gonna grow old together?”

 

Penelope leaned back, rolling her eyes at him, “Newsflash, Schneider. We’re already growing old together.”

 

He clasped her hand, looking at her with as much sincerity as he could muster.

 

“Pen.”

 

She must have sensed his shift in tone, knew instinctively what this was, because she gave his hand a tight squeeze and made sure to stare him straight in the eye as she replied, “I really do believe it, Pat.”

 

They both wrinkled their noses at each other as his given name fell from her lips. She loved to tease how it still weirded everyone out when she said it, but secretly he knew that she knew that he loved it.

 

She wouldn’t say it in the bedroom so much if she didn’t.

 

“I really do believe it too, Penelope,” he murmured giving her one last chaste peck before breaking away completely.

 

She watched him for a moment, looking as if she wanted to say something else before smiling softly, throwing him another eye-roll, “Mom duty calls. Gotta go tell my nearly-adult son that he can’t play Playstation or go to the movies for a month.”

 

Schneider watched her turn on the spot and make her way slowly out of the room before calling out, “Only a month? You’re gettin’ soft, Alvarez.”

 

She stopped dead in her tracks, glancing at him over her shoulder, winking, “ _You_ of all people should know that that’s not true, Schneider.”

 

He let out a groan as she sauntered away, hips swinging a little more tantalisingly than usual, just to punish him.

 

Penelope Alvarez was going to be the death of him.

 

…He couldn’t wait to marry her.

 

* * *

 

This was fun! I may add to it one day, maybe the proposal? ;) In the meantime, for more Alvareider, Schneider and Alvarez-clan bonding, my series [Schneider's Choice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cortexikid/series) has loads of gooey goodness :)  


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